A+E Networks expands international co-productions with key hires
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Editor
| 11 April 2023
At a time when the global content company says it is poised to play a leadership role as productions grow in global appeal, A+E Networks has appointed Ninder Billing as VP unscripted co-productions International and Alexandra Finlay as VP scripted co-productions international.
AEf 11April2023
Based in London, Billing and Finlay will lead the expansion of A+E Networks’ International co-productions for unscripted and scripted, respectively. Theyb will be responsible for identifying opportunities with global appeal and overseeing development and production working in close collaboration with the company’s extensive network of producers, creatives and commissioning partners.

Billing (pictured left) comes to A+E Networks from Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP), where she served as creative director, leading the premium factual slate focusing on streamer, international and UK terrestrial unscripted output. Under her leadership, DSP secured six new unscripted series. Prior to DSP, Billing was head of specialist factual at The Garden where she launched and oversaw the double BAFTA-nominated Operation Live (C5), and launched Police Tapes (ITV), The Unshockable Dr Ronx (BBC) and Inside the Natural History Museum (C5).

Billing was previously commissioning editor in factual at Channel 5 where she also oversaw the channel’s news output and has worked at the BBC as executive producer in documentaries, where she was responsible for Saira Khan: Adopting Abroad (BBC2); Don’t Call Me Stupid (BBC1) and Danielle Lineker: My New Stepfamily (BBC1). Billings has run her own production company, Class Films, and been an executive producer delivering current affairs for the BBC and Dispatches (C4).

Finlay (pictured right) joins A+E Networks from Shaftesbury, having served as Vice President, Creative and Co-productions where her credits include the upcoming comedy drama SisterS (IFC/Sundance, Crave, RTE) created, written by and starring Emmy Award-nominee Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley (Hotel Amenities). Prior to her five-year tenure at Shaftesbury, Finlay was head of acquisitions and co-productions at multichannel broadcaster UKTV, where she expanded UKTV’s relationship with major US studios and secured such well-known series as Castle, Suits, Rizzoli & Isles and Storage Hunters.

She also served as a creative executive across scripted and non-scripted pre-investments, growing UKTV’s exclusive programming via international co-productions with both domestic and international partners, including Shaftesbury. Previously, she held positions at Channel 4 and the BBC.

The announcement of the new hires was made by Patrick Vien, group managing director, A+E International, to whom Billing and Finlay will report. “We are delighted to welcome Ninder and Alexandra, two remarkably talented executives with deep experience and impressive track records of success,” he said.

“They join A+E Networks at a time when co-productions are growing in global appeal, and the company is poised to play a leadership role in the industry. Our success with such hit series as Miss Scarlet and the Duke (PBS Masterpiece); Red Election (Disney+ EMEA) and North Sea Connection (BBC), and the premium doc series Damien Lewis: Spy Wars (Paramount+), is a testament to our ambition to work with the best talented teams worldwide.”